Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe temporary prison release extended as coronavirus pandemic continues

British-Iranian mother was one of 85,000 prisoners released last month in bid to stop virus spreading through inmates

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s temporary release from an Iranian jail has been extended by one month.

The British-Iranian mother was among about 85,000 prisoners released by Iran last month in efforts to stop coronavirus spreading between inmates.

She was allowed to leave Evin prison in Tehran on 17 March for an initial two weeks, before her release was later extended for another fortnight. Her scheduled return to prison has now been pushed back again until 20 May, according to her husband.

“I’m very happy to hear from Richard Ratcliffe that Nazanin’s furlough has been extended for a month – in line with other prisoners in Iran,” Labour’s Tulip Siddiq said on Tuesday.

“Now is the time for our government to do all it can to make it permanent.”

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport in April 2016 while travelling to introduce her young daughter, Gabriella, to her parents.

The aid worker, from Hampstead, north London, was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations, which she has consistently denied, of plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was later given diplomatic protection by the UK government, which argues that she is innocent and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet obligations under international law.

She has been living at her parents’ house in Tehran since her temporary release but must wear an ankle tag and must stay within 300 metres of the property.

No decision has yet been made on clemency after her file was put forward to the Iranian prosecutor general.

Richard Ratcliffe said he and daughter Gabriella have been spending several hours a day on video calls with Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe during her release from prison in Iran.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Emma Barnett: “Nazanin was out for three days back in the summer of 2018 and we had a couple of calls then, but it was so tense and so uncertain and they were being harassed all the time.

“This is a lot more normal. We have been complaining about the prosaics of home schooling and normal parenting – it’s been nice to muddle our way through that together.”

He added Gabriella had initially struggled to understand why her mother had not come home during her temporary release.

Mr Ratcliffe said: “She would be very happy to speak to her, but then have a meltdown after every phone call.”

He added: “But that’s melted away- she has suddenly become a lot happier to share and engage... it’s not all been plain sailing but I think it’s beginning to feel a bit more human again.”

Amnesty International UK has urged Iranian authorities to make Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release permanent, “allowing her to return to her family back here in Britain.”

“This is obviously good news compared to a return to prison, so we’re very pleased for her and her family,” said Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK.

“There should be no question of Nazanin ever being sent back to Evin Prison. There are numerous reports of COVID-19 in Iranian jails, with detainees pleading for basic things like soap to help combat the disease.

“The basics of this disturbing case have never changed – Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, convicted after a deeply unfair trial, and she should never have been behind bars at all.

“We’re urging the Iranian authorities to finally do the right thing and free Nazanin permanently.”

Iran is one of the worst-affected countries by Covid-19, having reported more than 80,000 confirmed cases and 5,031 deaths.